CITY boss Nev Powell and his Europa League heroes are targeting a top two finish in the Welsh Premier League this season, and want to begin by taking maximum points off Neath this Saturday.
The full time South Walian club, who shocked Welsh football with the signing of Lee Trundle last month, will pose a stern test at Farrar Road (2.00pm k.o.) but Powell is confident the Blues’ pre-season will stand them in good stead.
He said: “The lads are full of confidence after the best pre-season we have ever had and I don’t think any club in the league will be as well prepared as us apart from TNS. We’ll be looking ideally to make the top two in the league but to be realistic we want to be in the top six by the time the split comes in.”
Bangor’s pre-season has also been handed a major boost by the return of hotshot striker Jamie Reed from a spell with Dandenong Thunder FC in Australia.
Reed, who netted 29 times for the Blues last term, will be available for selection against the Gnoll outfit and Powell added: “There’s competition across the park for all places and we have 17 players available for selection to a squad of 14 for Saturday’s game – there’s going to be three very disappointed players at the weekend.
“The lads are all fully fit and raring to go, and we’re just hoping that the Bangor crowd will turn out in force to support us.”
The City chief also paid tribute to his side in the aftermath of the 1-2 Racecourse loss against Maritimo; he added: “We are all proud of the players after Thursday night, especially with how they lead for the best part of 40 minutes.
“The way they battled showed their character and it was a pleasure just to be there.”
* BANGOR feature in three of the first batches of live games screened by S4C this season, with the away games at Bala (August 21) and Port Talbot (September 18) as well as the home clash with champions The New Saints (October 2) all on TV, with kick off being 3.45pm.
The club have also announced that the kick off time for all non-televised Saturday games will now be 2pm unless otherwise advertised.